Sniffles, a Balcony and a Contagious Bug
by Fwoukje
Summary: A sick Gilmore is no fun...at all! LoganRory (Sophies) fic, guest appearances by Finn, Colin, Paris, Luke, Lorelai (LL pairing) and perhaps some others. Rating upped, precautionary for cursing and possible later scenes.
1. Precautionary Measures

_A/N: This is my first fic ever. It's a reply to **JK Snicket**'s challenge at Illusive: **Get Away from my Balcony!** The first two chapters will be a bit of an introduction to the story. However, Logan is on his way, fear not! It's a work in progress and I'm not sure how many chapters it is going to be._

_Disclaimer: They are not mine, alas._

Lorelai had always laughed at Rory's preoccupation with not getting sick in winter. Lorelai was secretly proud of her strong illness-repellent genes; genes obviously not transferred to her daughter – in every other way such a freakish near-copy of herself. There was a lot wrong with Gilmores, but they all sure had a sturdy constitution. Rory however seemed to have inherited her sniffles-proneness from Christopher, certainly not a favourite among the very few things in which she took after her father. She'd learned from experience that the best way to avoid the flu between September and February was to keep away from sick people, filthy public restrooms, public phones, and doorknobs. Lorelai had taught her this at a young age after finding out that a winter without a sick and whining Rory would be so much more pleasant. Because, unfortunately, Rory had inherited the Gilmore way of coping with disease…and a sick Gilmore, is no fun…at all.

"Did you know that 90 of infections are spread through third party objects such as doorknobs, phones and unclean stuff like this?" said Rory to Paris, who shot her an exasperated look when she casually wiped the cafeteria cutlery with a disinfectant wet-tissue.

"Laugh all you want, I'm serious! I've got finals coming up and I don't want to get sick. People breathe on this cutlery! They don't just pick a fork. They rummage their filthy sneezed-in hands through the entire tray. There's almost as much filth on this as there is on those urine mints in restaurants…"

"Okay Gilmore, that's enough ranting for today, and don't start on the urine-mints anecdote because that is so not a good topic for conversation. I know you ruined a perfectly good date with it, so please refrain from ruining my lunch, okay! Terence has told me how important it is for me to get my rest during lunch break so, if you please!"

"My date with Trevor wasn't ruined by my urine-mint anecdote. It was ruined because Trevor is a boring dud! But that's beside the point! You've seen me sick before, do you care to relive that experience?"

"God, no!"

"Right! So two weeks before Christmas, with finals coming up, I'm not risking it!"

"Right, but, you know, all your wet-tissue-wiping will be to no avail if Boris in the kitchen gets a cold and sneezes on your fettuccini. You know, just to put your little cleaning mania into perspective. By the way, did you know that your wetties don't even kill most germs? And did you also know that…"

All of a sudden Rory didn't feel so hungry anymore. Frustrated and moderately grumpy she tossed her wet-tissues in the garbage can next to the table.

"All right, all right, Paris. I get the picture. But let me at least try and stay healthy, okay?"

"Well….actually eating vegetables or other healthy foods might increase your chances of…"

"Paariiiiiss!!!" Rory growled and glared at her roommate.

Great. Between stressing out over finals and moping about her break up with Dean, she was now supposed to make her own life miserable by eating healthy food as well? How does a girl wallow with spinach? Comfort stress with a banana? This winter sucked. If she was honest with herself she knew that she was probably over Deanis-the-Penis (the fact that she had stuck to the nickname Limo-Boy's friends had given him on the night they broke up was telling enough.) And she had to admit once she'd gotten used to having semi-regular sex, she had kind of started to miss it after a while…Wow, Rory Gilmore was willing to admit that she needed to get laid; Rory: sexually frustrated, Mary no more. Could have been a good spoof headline back in the day. Here she was, a college girl, with no boyfriend, no sex life…

"You know," Paris said with a mischievous smile, "I read somewhere that regular sex is great for the immune system. So now that I have Doyle as my boy toy…"

"Oh my god! Paris! Please don't use Doyle and sex in the same sentence!"

"Well, I'm just saying, I'm not getting sick anytime soon!"

The look on her roommate's face could have been enough to send Rory to the toilet to hurl. Great. Now her sucky love life was actually increasing her chances of getting sick as well…

_A/N: What do you think? Lot's of build up but I need to get a bit of background down. Reviews are greatly appreciated, are they in character?_


	2. Besieged by the Sniffles

_A/N: Logan will make a guest appearance in this chapter, promise!_

_Disclaimer: Still not mine…_

"Rory! Rory, get up! It's almost nine! I've tried to wake you three times, are you okay?"

Slowly the world around her started to materialise from a big ball of fuzz into Paris pounding her pillow. Ahh…the lights. She briefly thought of Finn's light intolerance and almost felt compassion for him before she jumped, or rather dropped, herself out of bed and scrambled to the bathroom to be sick.

"Gilmore, are you okay in there?"

"Does it sound like I'm okay Paris? Go away, please! I'm not coming out of my room today."

"Told you the wet-wipes wouldn't work. I'm going, you're unbearable when you're sick. Call me if you feel like you're going to die."

There was no answer from the bathroom, just a growl, a hurl, and some more primal sounds which made it all the more obvious to Paris that the safest place to be right now was away from Gilmore.

"I'll be at the paper! Bye Rory!"

After what felt like an eternity spent on the floor in front of, next to, and on the toilet, Rory stopped feeling nauseous, and the spinning in her head made room for incessant drilling of concrete hammers into her head.

"Must get painkillers… Must stand up…"

Mustering all her force, Rory clambered to the washing basin. What she saw in the mirror made her spirits drop even more. Great. She looked as crappy as she felt. Even if she were to keep some fluids or food inside, she wouldn't go out the door looking so dishevelled, which meant missing important classes, deadlines at the paper and….ghaaaa her head pounded a little harder with the thinking. Okay, so no thinking… just sleep. And painkillers. Lot's of them… Why, oh, why did she have to get sick now!

Lorelai frowned when she heard the line disconnect and go dead. She had called her daughter for the third time in five minutes. Knowing she didn't have classes between 12 and two she had expected her to pick up quickly. She had some exciting news to share, and Lorelai was not one to give up quickly. She had to speak to her daughter. Instead, she got two no-pick-ups and finally a groan and a crashing sound, after which, nothing more but static.

"Uh-oh. This is not good. No, no, no, this is bad, very, very bad…"

"What's so bad?" Luke asked, looking concerned.

"Oh, I think Rory's sick."

"I thought she didn't pick up her phone?"

"Well, she did the thing I do with my phone when I'm sick and it's ringing and I don't want to pick it up, because hello! The sickness! So, I guess she threw it at the wall, cause, you know, that's what a sane, I mean, sick person does with the ringing and it's incessancy and the head ache and…." Lorelai was ranting, but her mother instinct and experience with the Gilmore way of dealing with feeling crappy made her pretty sure of her case that Rory was sick, and she felt bad for her baby, being away from home… all alone…

"Lorelai, calm down!" Luke saw how upset Lorelai was. And he didn't feel too good about it himself either. He hated seeing one of his girls sick or sad, and now he had both at the same time.

"Do you want to drive out there and look after her?" he cautiously suggested.

"No, no, ugh, she'll have to grow up one time, and I guess being sick without your mommy there is part of that." Lorelai hated herself for thinking it, but there was something comforting about not having to be the one to clean up the mess of a sick kid for the first time in her life. Wow, bad mother vibes…

"I feel like Emily!" she exclaimed

Luckily, Luke had gotten used to Lorelai's strange patterns of thought and decided to ignore the comment for the moment. "Doesn't she have any roommates you can call? That kid with the weird name… Brooklyn… Sydney…?"

"Yes, I should call Paris just to check up on Rory. I'm not a bad mom, am I Luke? For letting a roommate look after my sick baby?"

"Come here you. You know you're a great mom! Now go make that call. You'll feel much better."

Paris hung up the phone with a long sigh. She knew how bad Gilmore was when she got sick. Luckily, the first time Lorelai had come and Paris had stayed at Asher's for the week. Now she'd actually have to deal with sick Rory alone. She wouldn't readily admit it, but she was a little worried for her roommate. She did care about her, even though she showed it in the less conventional ways of shouting at her (less then at others) and trying to make her live life a little less naïve. Rory would benefit greatly from her own Terence, but she knew she wasn't ready to take that step yet. Poor kid.

"Right, Doyle, Gilmore is sick so I'm not having sex with you this week. I need to keep an eye on her so I can't stay with you, and I don't want to get you and your frail health too close to the bomb of germs that currently resides at our dorm." Paris shouted through the newsroom at Doyle, who got redder and more embarrassed by the second.

"Oh come off it, Doyle! Everyone here knows we're doing it so why hide it? Anyway, I need to skive off for now. You'll get your article in time, don't worry. "

Doyle didn't have the wits to respond with anything other than a weak "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think, numbskull? To the pharmacy of course! I am under official instruction from the mother hen to look after her chick. And Lorelai Gilmore senior is no bird to mess with. So, I'm off. Oh, and don't expect Rory back before Christmas. Gilmore doesn't take being sick very well… doesn't want anyone to come near her until she's completely fit. And with the flu that's currently going round, I wouldn't expect a feature article before the New Year."

As Paris stalked out of the newsroom, Logan flicked open his cell phone and speed-dialed Finn's number. A bemused grin spread across his face. He had a great idea to get his sheltered little Ace to deal with being sick in the way a real woman does.

"Hey Finn, it's Logan… Yeah, I know it's before 4 pm, but listen, I need a favour. Do you still have that guitar hidden in your closet?"

_A/N: I said a **guest ** appearance, and that's what you got, so sue me! I promise, lots of Logan/Rory interaction in the next chapters. I needed this build up. Reviews are greatly appreciated. _


	3. Oy with the Noise Already!

3. Oy, with the noise already!

_A/N: Lots of Logan this time (because I know I like fics with a lot of Logan better too….) By the way, rating is precautionary for language and possible later scenes._

"So, Logan, mate, what are you up to that you need my trusty old señorita?" Finn asked Logan, who just rushed into their dorm from the paper.

"Well, Finn, think I've found the perfect opportunity to get our lovely Ace to lighten up a bit."

"Reporter girl? That would be _your_ lovely Ace, lad. Not ours, just yours."

"Are you drunk Finn? We all know you like the booze, but I just didn't take you for a post-wake-up pre-four-o-clock in the afternoon boozer…To get to my point, Ace happens to have gotten bitten by the winter bug. She's in bed with the flu."

"So? My friend I feel bad for your girl being sick, but what does my guitar, a fine example may I say, signed by Eric Clapton pre-_Tears in Heaven_, have to do with your chick being sick?"

"She's not my chick Finn! Seriously, you must be delirious. Do you have a fever as well? If you keep from yapping for a second, I will tell you what my plan is and what your guitar has to do with Ace being sick, immobile, and grumpy in her bed.

I thought we might serenade her from beneath her window, since she's currently unable to run from us—with the being sick and in bed and all….I have a perfectly improper song that will make her totally uncomfortable, and I mean not just from your horrid singing."

"My singing?"

"Oh no, please tell me Finn isn't going to sing!" Colin just breezed into the common room with his arms full of groceries—someone had to be the responsible one in their _3 Stooges _ousehold.

"Yes, Colin, indeed he is. And so are we. We are going to serenade Ace, who is sick in her bed, to get her to lighten up a bit and get over being a pathetic whiney-baby." Logan said with a mischievous grin.

"That has to be the stupidest plan I've ever heard." Colin sighed. "If that reporter girl of yours is anything like you when you're sick, which I guess is the Connecticut old-money way of dealing with being "unwell", there'll be no lightening up, just beating up. And we won't be the active participants."

"Colin, Colin, always so serious. It's a great idea, man! Finn thinks it's a great idea too. Don't you Finn?"

"Um, whatever mate…I don't mind a little beating myself, sort of turns me on. Aggressive girls float my boat so to say, so, I say go for it."

"Exactly! So I'm gonna go get some extra props from the store. I think we need to go all-out in this, and you can prepare your act in the meantime! See you later, guys!" Logan said and practically skipped out of their dorm.

Finn and Colin both agreed that this was very disturbing behaviour from Logan. He knew the rules of engagement; you don't seek out contact with sick or mentally unstable girls. It makes them clingy. And in any young men's handbook, clingy girls are the number one thing on the list of 'things to avoid at all costs'.

"So why is our crazy roommate doing this? He must really want her back at the paper…"

"Well, with my amazing people skills I have of course long ago noticed the obvious chemistry between our friend and reporter girl."

Clin nodded in agreement. They'd all seen it, but since Logan had chemistry with so may people, including Colin's grandmother, no one ever thought anything of it. However, not immediately trying to score with someone he had chemistry with, with the exception, of course, to Colin's grandmother—at least, he sincerely hoped so—was news in Loganville.

"Secondly, Logan likes to nickname girls, but we both know he usually uses one of the names on his generic list. Ace was a surprising addition for all of us. Thirdly, she's absolutely not his type, with the not being dim, blonde, rich or easy, which can only lead to one conclusion…"

"He likes her." Colin stated with a slight hint of surprise in his voice.

"He doesn't just like her, he's totally falling for her Colin. But he's also oblivious to it, as much as she is, I think. Looking at the two of them makes me fear the future of journalism. The fine fleur of the Yale Daily News is fucking blind when it comes to clues about their own love lives. What is to become of the world?" Finn said as he dramatically jumped off the couch and picked up the sheets of paper with the lyrics of the song Logan wanted them to study. "Great! This song sucks…."

"They need our help dear friend! I think it is time we messed a little with Logan's not so genius plan… What song did he want us to sing? Something gay?"

Finn nodded with a disgruntled look and said, "All that 'Ace'". He made his own lyrics to "All that Jazz"…God, how awful…"

"Nevermind, we're going to sing a different song. We're going to make Logan serenade his Ace with a true love song. She'll be pissed at us anyway, so we might as well make use of the opportunity to get Logan and her to truly face each other." Colin said, smiling broadly over the plan forming in his head.

Paris had headed to the New Haven Mall because the small drugstore on campus just didn't suit her needs. She was in pre-med all right, but she had no idea what kind of stuff Rory needed, especially since she didn't know what was wrong with her in the first place.

"Great, I've got three kinds of painkillers, all different flavours of cold-medicine, cough syrup for prickly, deep, and shallow coughing, and ten kinds of nose spray… Let's see, get some band-aids just in case. She might claw at me if I get too close." Paris muttered to herself whilst emptying shelves of medicine into her basket.

"Claw at you? I didn't know Ace swung both ways Paris. And isn't she a little young for you?"

"Huntzberger! What are you doing here? Last time I checked they didn't sell blonde bimbo's here. You better check Wal-Mart…."

"Paris, Paris, so feisty and so offensive! I actually came to buy a little "get well soon" gift for your roommate. Surprised?"

"By your trying to suck up to Rory? Hardly! I'm surprised at how stupid you are to actually think she'll appreciate it. She's evil when she's ill. Seriously, death-threateningly evil. I'm only here because her mom asked me to get her some stuff. Listen to me Huntzberger, you're only getting this free advice once, because I'm in a particularly good mood today…"

"Seriously Gellar, you should sleep with Doyle more often if it takes that to defrost you." Logan interrupted her.

"You know what? I just changed my mind! Walk into the death-trap you're building yourself Huntzberger!! Go ahead and make my day!" Paris said with an evil glare.

Logan didn't feel beat yet. He was sure his little scheme would work. Rory Gilmore couldn't be as ferocious as Paris made her out to be, could she?

"Rory, I'm home!" Paris tried to speak softly as she knocked on Rory's door. God, being patient took a lot of energy!

With no response coming out of the bedroom Paris tried to open the door, but it was locked. Right! That was it! No more Miss Nice Guy…

"Rooooooryyyyyy! Open the goddamn door! Your mom made me buy you a lot of get-well crap and I didn't do that in order for you to ignore it! What am I going to say to her when she calls to ask me how you're doing since you broke your phone? Grow a spine and open that door!"

"No." Came a small voice from the room. "I've got my coffeemaker and coffee. I don't need anything else. I don't need your help! Now leave me alone until I feel better!"

"Rory…"

"Go away!"

That was enough. Paris was sick of it already and Rory had only been sick for a day. She walked over to her crafts corner and took out her handheld, automatic screwdriver.

Rory heard strange noises at her door. What the… someone was screwing with the lock! Before she knew it, Paris had D.I.Y-ed her way into Rory's room. She immediately walked over to the window to get some fresh air into the muffled room, which now had the distinct smell of 'sick people'.

"I swear, you wouldn't ask for help even if you were on your death bed!" Paris sighed as she opened the window.

"I am on my death bed! Now leave me to die in peace please…" Rory said.

"Get over it Gilmore! I'm taking care of you whether you want me to or not." Paris said.

She walked over to Rory, peeled off some blankets, and emptied the bag of medicine on her lap.

"Per order of your mom, take what you need. And you know, it's not healthy to be under so many blankets when you have a fever. You want me to check your temperature?"

"Okay, I appreciate it Paris, but you sticking a thermometer up my butt is a little too up close and personal for me…" Rory managed to get out between coughs.

"You're welcome. I'm going to make you some food. Well, order some food for you…feel up to it?"

Before Rory could answer she was startled by a racket outside. Shouting and screeching and then the hum of amplifiers and finally a very badly tuned guitar started to play a vaguely familiar riff right outside her window. When the (awfully bad) singing started, Rory didn't even need to open her curtains. She recognised that voice straight away. Boy, Finn's singing was as bad as his re-enactment of the passion of the Christ…

"Oy, with the noise already!" Rory managed to spit out angrily before she fell completely silent, shocked by the view outside her window as she opened her curtains…

_A/N: Okay, there was too much stuff to put into this chapter so I've had to make two chapters out of it, leaving you with a mini cliff-hanger. First attempt at Logan and the boys… How'd I fare? Reviews greatly appreciated._


	4. Humbug!

_A/N: after the poetic justice of falling ill myself, I'm a now back at the computer and have churned out this chapter. I'm not completely satisfied, and it's a little short. Feedback greatly appreciated. _

"What the hell!" Rory's eyes had the size of small saucers, well, make that flying saucers actually, when she took in the view outside her window.

In the courtyard were Colin and Logan, wearing tuxedo's, together with Finn in a rock star outfit, complete with torn-up jeans and an AC/DC shirt, going Jimmy on his electrical guitar and two huge amplifiers. All of them were wearing big pink bunny slippers – just like the ones Rory had under her bed. If only she had a camera and weren't too ill to even think about making a photograph…

"Well, hello there Ace!" Logan smirked and made a slight bow. "We weren't sure how much racket we'd have to make to actually get you out of bed and looking out the window. I must say, only 30 seconds reaction time surpasses all my estimates. I would've thought you quicker."

"Ugh…I…" Rory started to cough and Logan's smile faltered a little. He didn't want to upset her too much…Not that he cared about her, but it wasn't civil to have a girl choke by your fault.

"I…I have no words for this!" Rory spitted out with an angry face. "Again, what are you doing here making such a noise. And what were you playing anyway??" It hadn't sounded at all like anything famili, and Rory knew pretty much all kinds of music. She only steered away from Norse Viking Metal and that kind of crap, and she was pretty sure none of the frat boys at Yale were into that either.

"My dear reporter girl, we were not playing anything, we were merely trying to get your attention!" Finn called out in a way that would surely have elicited a Jack Sparrow reference from a healthy Gilmore.

"And so," Colin stepped forward, "we, Colin, Logan and Finn, will now finally play you a special song. No, it is not 'The cure' that would be too lame a pun. Finn; hit it!"

Logan's expression turned from wide grin into utter disbelief when Finn started playing the intro to a completely different song than the one he had told them to study. Colin and Finn winked at him and at Rory, and started to play their own little song.

Colin started crooning through the intro, as Logan's face got whiter and whiter.

_This little song,_

_is for all the ladies in pj's_

_currently one in our midst._

_let's hear it for the girl..hmm..hmmm…_

"Colin, Finn, what are you doing!" Logan hissed.

Rory couldn't believe what was happening. She saw Logan's discomfort and that got her a little curious as to what song the boys were going to play. Somehow things not going according to Logan's plan amused her greatly.

Finn started up a familiar riff and in a surprisingly pleasant harmony he and Colin began to belt

_Not his first, but at last, his everything,  
And the answer to all his dreams.  
You're his sun, his moon, his guiding star.  
His kind of wonderful, that's what you are._

_I know there's only, only one like Ace  
There's no way they could have made two.  
You're, you're all he's living for  
Your love he'll keep for evermore.  
Not the first, but at last, his everything._

At the sight of Logan turning bright red somewhere during the second line of this very special rock version of Barry White's ultimately tacky song, Rory started hiccoughing with laughter. She had to give the guys credit, she temporarily forgot all about being sick. At the end of the second verse Logan was physically trying to get Colin and Finn to stop singing and playing. He finally managed to disconnect the amplifier, however, his roommates continued the chorus in slightly off-key a capella song.

_In you he's found so many things,  
A love so new, only you could bring.  
Can't you see if you,  
You'll make him feel this way,   
You're like a first morning dew on a brand new day._

At this moment the audience that had gathered in the courtyard had grown rather large. Many didn't know what to think of the two guys in tux and the guy in his eighties rockers don, wearing pink bunny slippers, and rocking to alternative lyrics to Barry White. Logan was obviously displeased by the goings on but had given up trying to stop his friends from singing since that seemed to only encourage them. He just stood there, mouth agape, shaking his head slightly and trying to figure out why he cared so much what rory woud think of this mock declaration of love.

Rory felt a strange tingle in her stomach and it wasn't nausea for a change. Despite her anger towards the guys for making such a display of themselves and her, she was wondering why Logan was so upset by them singing this song. And why exactly had they changed the lyrics? Logan and she weren't even very good friends…he couldn't…like he?

As the guys finished their song the crowd erupted in applause. Rory was still slightly flabbergasted and her original reason for being angry: the noise equalling a humongous headache, was resurfacing. She felt a tingle in her nose and decided to play hardball.

"Hey Huntzberger!" she waved him over to her window. As Logan approached Rory put up a stern face. "Why did you do that! And don't you dare say to cheer me up."

"No, I personally don't need cheering up," Logan said with a wink, "you however, could do with some, and from the smile you had on your face earlier it seems like it totally worked"

He mentally slapped himself for letting slip that he'd been observing here during the song. luckily she didn't seem to have noticed.

"Ohmigod. You are such a hubbug!" Rory exclaimed exasperatedly

"A hubbug?"

"A hummmmm-bug." Rory barely managed to get it out with her nose blocked and all.

Logan snickered at the term. "Where did you learn that word miss _Oxford English Dictionary_? Was it right next to Buttfaced miscreant?"

"Well, you need to practice on you alphabet a little logan, or do you have a thematically organised dictionary where you come from? You know what! Look it up for practice! It's what you are, so you'd better know what it means too." Rory felt her nose tingle a little harder. It was just what she needed. Teach that arrogant little brat a lesson. She'd have the last word this time.

"Well, I guess I'll have to if you can't tell me. Are you sure you know what it means yourself?'

"ugh…never mind….But Logan?" Rory said, and Logan turned back towards her, mouth open, ready for a final retort and his traditional last word.

"Achoo!" Rory sneezed right in Logan's face as he turned around. He looked at her with a mix of mock-disgust and slight panic.

"Oh dear, I do hope I'm not contagious anymore!" Rory said. And at that she closed the curtains, turned around and fell on her bed. She needed peace, peace and quiet. No Logan and friends to stir up her day and make her think all these thoughts. Thoughts about Logan she didn't want to have at all….she couldn't help a slight fuzzy feeling as she thought back at his wide-eyed look after she sneezed on him. She felt a little guilty now…he came to cheer her up, then his friends pulled one on him, and now she may have gotten him sick too….

"Bad karma Rory…you'd better watch your back or it'll get right back at you" she yawned before she drifted off to a rather restless sleep.


	5. Dupe or be duped, that's the question!

_A/N: A quick update! For your pleasure dear readers. Thank you for your feedback, and pixelie: you kick ass, my dear beta...._

It had seemed like a good idea at the time. She was sick of Logan getting his way with her. Ugh, well, not that way, but getting at her with his jokes, pranks, and stabs under water. She really wanted to get back at him and when she felt the need to sneeze, she thought she might as well sneeze in his face. Right back at ya, Huntzberger! Don't mess with a Gilmore that's ill. Actually, don't mess with a Gilmore ever because it's bound to blow up right in your face, literally!

Suddenly the sound of her cell phone rang through the room. Shit, she had to get it quickly. The noise, the noise, please stop ringing phone…

"Stop the noise!" Rory panted.

"Is limo-boy still there?" Lorelai asked over the phone?

"Yeah…still there…." Rory glanced over to the bed and couldn't help a slight smile playing on her lips when she saw his tousled blonde hair just peeking out above the blankets. Oh boy… this had all gone way off track…

The previous day

"It had seemed like a good idea at the time." Logan thought bitterly when looking into the mirror. He couldn't have gotten infected by Rory because of one sneeze, could he? Well, whatever it was that gave him this flu, he wanted it to die or, even better, die twice.

"Loge, mate, you ok?" Finn shouted into the bathroom "Cause I heard some horrible noises coming out of there and I know you can hold your liquor better than that and we didn't even go out and drink last night. So, um, do you need medicine or something?"

"Just leave me be, Finn. I'm gonna…erm…."

Finn could guess what he was 'gonna' from the hurling sounds that came from the bathroom during the next minutes. And he wouldn't be Finn if he didn't immediately spot an opportunity to gain from Logan's misery.

Walking past the Yale Daily News on his way to find Colin at the physics department, Finn saw someone else he desperately needed to talk to in order for his plan to work. He had hoped to be able to have Colin do this task for him, since talking to Gellar wasn't one of Finn's favorite pastimes. Just as he was contemplating whether to walk over to the building and get it over with or to bolt and not look back, he was surprised by an angry shout coming from the window of the newsroom.

"Aussie-boy! Stop standing there looking useless and get your butt over here!" Paris hollered out of the open window.

"That's 'ass' Paris! Real journalists say 'ass'! And what are you doing at that window?" Paris smiled as she had managed to hit a nerve with Doyle. She was going to get some good tonight…

"Erm… what's up Paris?" Finn hesitantly said. This could not be something good. It was Gellar after all. She was rumored to have bitten people before.

"Let's cut the crap and get to business," Paris growled at him. "I don't like you and your friends but apparently my roommate does. And Huntzberger," Paris spat out as if the name was a disease in itself, "seems to like her too, judging from your antics and his red face the other day."

Finn nodded but was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. One does not interrupt Paris when she's on a roll, not even when one agrees with her.

"Since Huntzberger is too stubborn to admit it and do anything about it, because, hey, his reputation might suffer actually having to face up to liking a girl that doesn't fall at his feet," She took a deep breath, "and since Rory is too naïve to see the big banners waving in her face, I think it's time we did something about it."

"Well," Finn finally had the nerve to speak, "I came up with a plan this morning and I was just fetching Colin to set things in motion."

"Lets hear it." Paris said.

"Well, our reporter friend has actually managed to get Logan ill with that, formidably big for such a small girl, might I say, sneeze of hers."

Paris began to laugh. Wow, those aristocrat inbreeds really did have a weak constitution. She could make a nice bio project out of this one day. New England aristocrat lab rats, what a sight. She as a 'half-breed'—her mother was from different circles—only had half the inbred genes all the other Mayfair children had. She could finally congratulate herself with her family on something.

Composing herself, Paris sent Finn a questioning look. "And how does having Logan, ill in his bed, far away from Rory, help our cause?"

"Ay, there's the rub!" Finn exclaimed. "And it is exactly this that we can fix. Aren't you, as a roommate, rather afraid of getting infected by hanging around with Rory?" Like a used car salesman, Finn didn't let Paris answer that question. "Well, Colin and I do. So what better way of getting these two together then…"

"Sticking them in a room together!" Paris interrupted. Finn looked a little miffed that she caught on so fast.

"That's an excellent idea Finn! I guess I can stay with Doyle for a while."

Doyle had been eavesdropping and turned several shades of red and pink, undecided whether this was a good thing or not, but knowing he couldn't stop Paris from moving in temporarily and taking over his life if she wanted to.

"So the Branford area can be a quarantine zone, keeping the sick away form the healthy. I'd never taken you for a smart one Finn, but this will work! I won't have anything to do with getting Logan over there however… you can sort that out for yourselves." At that Paris snapped the window shut and left Finn standing agape. He had sort of forgotten the tiny detail of actually getting Logan to move across campus…

Later that Afternoon

"Logan?" Colin apprehensively entered the room. "Logan are you awake?"

No reaction came from the bundle of sheets. Logan was fast asleep and that was exactly what thy guys needed. Of course, a double dose of sleeping pills in his juice had helped a whole lot, but they just couldn't take any risks.

Before one could say "conundrum" or any other trisyllabic word, four rather large gawky looking men had picked up Logan, complete with bed, and were lifting him through the French doors of his suite, into the garden of their luxurious dorm. Any Passerbys would have looked upon the ensuing scene with glee, but luckily for Logan his roommates had chosen "the move" to take place during the quiet hours of late classes but before the dinner rush.

Quickly, the men hoisted the bed up and started walking towards a van. Finn couldn't believe how easy this was. "Exactly how many sleeping pills did you give him, Colin?"

"Enough I think," Colin said. " I gave him what I see my mom taking but she's a heavy user of course, so it might be a slight overdose for our featherweight friend here…"

As the van stopped outside the courtyard of Branford Hall, Paris opened Rory's windows.  
As soon as she saw the men enter the courtyard with Logan fast asleep in his bed, she couldn't help but laugh. This luckily didn't wake Rory and Paris left the boys to do their job as she made a hasty exit to healthy, germ-free air at Doyle's place.

Rory didn't wake up as Logan's bed was put in her room, nor as the movers moved her desk in order to make place for said bed.

Colin and Finn paid the movers, who would keep telling this story at birthdays and parties for years to come, and quickly took a few snapshots of the peacefully sleeping couple. Finn left the note with explanation for them both and put a padlock on the window so only the air-vent could be opened. He left an explanatory note at the coffeemaker and hit the power button (Logan had once let slip that one could probably get Rory to do anything for a cup of coffee and they'd had a good laugh at him for a week, telling him stuff he should make her do for him) and exited with Colin through the door of Rory's room, which Colin locked with the key Paris had left them. Boy, this was gonna be fun. Too bad they couldn't be there to witness it first hand…

Rory awoke to the faint smell of coffee. She crinkled her nose and checked with herself whether she was feeling anything odd, nausea, or pain before she got up. Ugh, she was still feeling crappy. What time was it anyway, and, wait a minute, Paris never made her coffee before, what was going on? Apprehensively, Rory peeked over the edge of her warm little blanket nest. Everything seemed fine. Why was her desk moved to the left? And…

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Rory screamed, "What are you… how…. what… why? Pariiiiiisssss!!!!" She belted out but no answer came. What the hell was Huntzberger doing in her room, in his own bed for crying out loud, which, she had to note, was perhaps still better than finding him in her bed… or was it…? How had they been able to move him in here? And why wasn't he waking up from her screaming? Rory was nothing like Lorelai in situations like this. In crisis situations Lorelai sprang into Mommy Problem-Solving Mode. Rory, even when she wasn't ill, wasn't much of a problem-solver, she was a mommy-caller.

The phone rang a few times before a very disgruntled Lorelai answered.

"Go away! It's 5:30 in the morning. I will send my boyfriend to kill you."

"Moooom," Rory wailed "Mom, I'm still sick and they put Huntzberger in my room and there's coffee!"

"Whoa whoa… hold on baby… this doesn't make sense. Is there something wrong with the coffee? And who made you sleep with Huntzberger, your naughty other persona?" Lorelai was a little confused.

"No, it's not like that. I woke up this morning because I smelled coffee, and then I saw that someone had moved Logan into my room last night. Bed and all. And, oh my god! They've padlocked the window and locked my door as well, from the outside… Where are my keys?"

Lorelai heard Rory rummage through drawers, she was clearly upset, but Lorelai could see the benefits from this situation too. She knew her daughter liked Logan. Maybe spending some time together would get her to open her eyes a little.

"Ok you, search for keys later, answer my questions now. Question: Where is Paris? Short answer please, I need to assess your situation. Gosh I feel totally FBI now…"

"Paris isn't here." Rory stated tiredly.

"Ok, so, did she leave a note?"

"Erm, well…. yes! I see something on the coffee machine, but the handwriting is not Paris'… and… oh my god!"

"You're saying that a lot, he might get tired of it," Lorelai said "now read the note to Mommy!"

"Ok it says:

_  
Hello Ace. You've managed to infect Huntzberger with your big sneeze the other day. We, as his roommates, also speaking for Paris, do not wish to be infected by this apparently highly contagious bug. We have decided to quarantine you until you get better. There's coffee as you can see, and Logan has our numbers if you need anything. We'll get it to you. Now, have fun you two! Oh, and we locked you up because you leaving the zone would ruin the idea of quarantine. Paris is taking notes for you Rory, so don't worry about classes and you'll have plenty of time to study for finals now that you're locked up with all your books._

_Finn, Colin, Paris._

_  
P.S. If Logan doesn't wake up, Colin might have overdosed him on the sleeping pills a little. Don't worry; he'll come around sometime tomorrow. Take advantage of it. Draw on him with sharpies or something…"_

Lorelai was in hysterics on the other side of the phone by now. "Oh Rory, write something about balls on his face, please…"

"Mom, this is so not funny…. I'm not feeling well, and, well, Logan isn't either, presumably. What are we going to do all day? Puke together? Fun!"

"I think you'll figure it out baby, and by the sound of it, you feel a lot better than the last time I talked to you, oh wait, I didn't talk to you, you just smashed your phone against the wall. How do you like your new one by the way?"

"I'm sorry I didn't call mom. I love the phone, thank you, the Hello Kitty edition is just too cool, but today is actually the fist time I am actually not too exhausted to speak, so, I didn't have the energy to call sooner."

"It's okay hun, get some sleep before Logan wakes up okay? And have some fun with him, promise?"

"Can't promise but I will sleep some more. Can you call me back at a less ungodly hour? I'm going to try and not be a zombie today and get some studying done." Rory said.

"That's my girl!" Lorelai cooed. "I'll call you back at, say, 10:30. Deal?"

"Deal. Thanks mom. I love you."

"Love you too, oh, just one more thing…"

"What?"

"Logan and Rory sitting in a tree, k..i..s..s…"

"Bye Mom!" Rory hung up on her mom. She could be so incredibly childish sometimes. She did not like Logan. And he didn't like her. She'd been trying to convince herself of this all through her dreams last night and she wasn't being convinced of anything else anytime soon.


	6. Morning dew, or afternoon coziness

_A/N: I put the beta'd version up, much, much better, you kick ass Pixelie! And thank you all for your reviews, they are greatly appreciated, especially when they're constructive. I'm working hard on new chapters, but life's a bitch, even so close to the new year…_

Since Logan was still in a deep hazy sleep for most of the day, Rory managed to get a rather large amount of studying done. She was feeling slightly positive that she would be up and about in time for her last finals in a few days. From the sounds she heard Logan make in his sleep every now and again, however, she could judge that he would probably not be up to studying anytime soon. What's more, he sounded rather worryingly ill. She was hoping that she hadn't sounded like that herself. His ragged, heavy breathing, coughing spells (through which he would sleep) and some rather unfortunate bowel sounds all combined brought out a feeling in Rory she'd never experienced, because frankly, she'd never had to. She wanted to take care of him.

Logan suddenly spluttered a little louder, grunted, stuck his messy blonde head a few inches above the blankets and then was completely silent.

"Morning Sunshine!" Rory couldn't help but grin a little at seeing the same stupor on his face that she had felt, say, 8 hours earlier when she woke up with an extra bed, man included, in her room.

"Wha…" Logan was flabbergasted, but before he even got the chance to ask questions or be witty he felt his guts crinkle and squeal. Rory jumped out of the way in time and pointed to the left side of the room shouting "Bathroom! There!" as Logan rushed out of bed with a complexion close to green.

Poor thing, seems like he was even sicker than Rory had been. Of course, the sleeping pills could have had some side-effects, Rory thought. In order to allow him a little dignity she turned on the radio and increased the volume until it was audible in the bathroom. "Why do I care so much?" Rory thought. She had a gnawing feeling in her stomach and it wasn't hunger or guilt. She was feeling sorry for Logan. She never wanted to see someone she liked being so sick.

But then again she didn't like him. No way, José. Absolutamundo not.

After about fifteen minutes, Logan came out of the bathroom looking surprisingly fresh.

"Before I start asking questions, I need to say something Ace." Logan looked serious.

"In the first place, thank you for pointing me to the bathroom, would've hated to do.that all over your carpet or God knows what. Secondly, I used one of your towels. I'll wash it when I feel better. Now, what the hell is going on here, why am I here, how did I get here and… and… how come I feel a lot better than yesterday?"

"Ho bucko, one question at a time. All of your first questions are answered in this lovely note. Read it and I guess it'll partly answer your fourth question too." Rory smiled and gave Logan the note. How could a guy with the flu look so hot, just seconds after he'd puked his brains out…

Logan read the note in silence, grinned, and then looked concerned. "They sure got us huh…" He said.

"It doesn't explain how they got me and my bed in here though. I'll have to get that out of them later." He looked thoughtfully around the room and then over to Rory.

"You've moved your desk." he said.

Rory was surprised by his attentiveness to how her room had looked before. "Well, technically, the person that moved you in here moved my desk, hence, you moved my desk. But I am touched that you remember where it used to be. I'll extend my condolences to the desk. I'm sure it misses its former spot…"

"Wow Ace, you're almost back to normal!" Logan said and couldn't help but smirk a little.

"Yeah, I think I'm getting there… I managed to do a lot of studying, I just hope they'll let us out in time for me to be able to get to my finals." she sighed.

"Well if you're thinking about finals," Logan said, "then you're definitely on the mend. Almost back to the book-sniffer I know and" He swallowed the words "and love" that had almost escaped his mouth. He couldn't love her, and he couldn't say that, yet.

"Well, you were smirking until about two seconds ago—what's wrong? Baby needs to do burpy?" Rory said

Logan smirked again. "Yup," he said "I guess sleeping through the worst 48 hours and puking my guts out afterwards got me through the worst. Colin's sleeping pills were good for something then." He ignored her comment on how his face had fallen. Not a good time to spill your guts to a girl Logan after spilling yours all over her bathroom.

An awkward silence passed between the two of them.

"So," Rory spoke, "since we're locked up here and not feeling too bad, I think we should make the most of it."

Logan was surprised by her happy-go-lucky attitude; Rory was always such a worrywart.

"You name it, Ace. Anything that doesn't include food and is possible within this room I am totally in for."

"Don't you get any ideas now Huntzberger!" Rory glared at him, as Logan had looked suggestively at the bed.  
Boy, why did that give her a hot flash… she shouldn't be thinking about dirty things with Logan, let alone naked Logan… wait, where did the naked Logan come from? Get a grip Rory, she mentally commanded herself.

"I was thinking more about…" this is your chance Rory, you won't get another opportunity like this, just say it "about….talking, you know about just little stuff, or, important stuff, if you want?" She felt very insecure, even though she shouldn't, he was just an acquaintance. A burden put upon her by their stupid roommates, and he was arrogant and she shouldn't give a damn about what he thought.

"Talking, how exciting! Are you sure you wouldn't rather read my thoughts, Ace?" Logan said, but he wasn't exactly disappointed by the idea.

She wanted to get to know him, which could be considered a good thing. He usually didn't like to talk about himself, and he wasn't exactly excited about this particular time, but he did want to get to know more about Rory. Frankly, he didn't really mind her knowing a little more about him either. It had dawned on him during the past few weeks that he'd been thinking about her a lot. She wasn't his type, which as alarming: Only his ex-girlfriend of 3 years had been of the 'not-my-type'-type. Finn and Colin's stunt sprung on his stunt had been embarrassing, all the more because the words of the song rang rather true in his ear "you're like the bright morning dew, on a brand new day". Rory could be a new beginning for him. Something Logan craved after all his mess-ups during the past few years. He needed a new start of brand old Logan, maybe Rory could bring out the person in him that many people hadn't seen in a while, except for his best friends. But in order to allow her to be just that, he'd have to be totally honest with her, and the thought of that scared him to death.

However, he wasn't going to show too much just yet. He needed to find out how Rory felt about him, and right about now, he had no clue. Logan was no fool, he wasn't about to let his heart be trampled by hanging it on his sleeve for everyone to grope and beat. He might allow her a peak inside his jacket, a peak at his sheltered heart.

"Talking." he said. It was a statement, not a question this time.

_A/N: Do it! Press that button! It's so close! It'll make the next update come quicker! (Christmas is looming and I need to get them there.)_


	7. But what about my bed?

_A/N: First off, I have been getting some reactions I'd like to address (on illusive and ). 1. About cursing: The way I have my characters speak and curse every so often (I don't think it's that much) is how I perceive people around me speaking and it is how speak myself. If Gilmore Girls weren't a PG show, I believe this is how the characters on the show would speak. Therefore I have upped the rating to R, rather than change sentences. 2. I had some comments on my characters being out of character. If you think so then please tell me** in what way they are o.o.c.** I am a beginning writer, and I really need constructive criticism in order to be able to fix things. Thank you ever so much._

Rory had been transfixed by Logan's changing facial expressions when he was quiet after her last question to him. Ever so subtly his face had changed from stunned, to thoughtful, to, could it be, rather pleased and then through scared to resolved when he finally said "Talking."

It was a statement, not a question, and she was glad for him seemingly agreeing to do what she wanted fo a while. It must be because he was still rather poorly that he was so subdued and willing to give into her requests, but she was going to make use of this situation, just like her mother had said.

"But don't get any ideas now Ace," Logan forced a smirk, "I may be a little sick, but i don't have cerebral diarrhea nor any of the verbal kind. I can still think before I speak so you're not going to get just anything out of me."

"I should have guessed" Rory was slightly releived to see something of the old Logan back

"Why don't we start with you?" He said, and got comfortable in his bed, facing her lying on his side.

Rory crawled back under the blankets too, and slid down to face him. This all felt awfully comfortable, much like a slumberparty like the ones she'd had with Lane and her mom, except that it was broad daylight and the door was locked, from the outside.

"Come on Ace, you suggested we talk, then it's only fair that you start the talking. I can suggest a topic if you want to…" but he then erupted in a rather bad coughing attack.

"Well, you seem rather incapacitated to speak right now, Rory said, so I'll think of my own topic." What are you going to do now Gilmore, think of a safe topic, you can do this.

"Let's hear it." Logan spluttered between two more coughs

"You know I'm Richard and Emily's granddaughter, right?"

"I thought that was well-established by now Ace."

"Okay, so, you know my mother is Lorelai Gilmore…"

Rory started telling him the story of her early life, Logan was hip to a few of the facts, mainly the teenage pregnancy and the part where her mom runs off, but apparently the New England old money hadn't been fully informed as to Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter's living circumstances after that.

"So you mean you actually lived in a pottng shed? But why didn't Richard and Emily…" he thought for a second and knew he had the answer already. it was the same old story.

"Nevermind, don't even answer that. My parents and all of their friends wouldn't have helped their daughter in a situation like that either. Those people have way too much care for their reputation." Logan sighed and shook his head slightly—not too muh, the headache was still sending waves of nausea through him

"I'm impressed Logan." Rory was a little stunned by how Logan, one of the elite Yalies of her time apparently, could dismiss his family and the ways of their crowds in such a huff.

"I'm not all that you think I am, Rory. Yeah, we have money, It's obvious that I'm not here on scholarship, but you know enough of my world, my parents' world, to know that not all the spawn of the New England elite take after their parents."

"I…" Rory sruggled for words a little, Logan looked so serious." I…I know, but you're involved with the Life and Death Brigade and you do all these extravagant things with your little elite group.."

"We're not an elite group." Logan interrupted her, looking almost angry.

"It's true that our founders were of the same kind as our families, but nowadays we allow other people in. We do rely on our rich alumni for a lot of the cash flow though, hence the fun parties" Logan smiled softly, remembering some of the particularly bright memories of thos eparties. Rory in tha gorgeous dress...

"Finn, for instance, isn't a Mayflower kid. He's an exchange student on a full scholarship. Quite a brilliant student, hence the scholarship."

Rory was lost for words. Logan's other, softer, dare she say more real side intimdated her a little. She suddenly remembered an anecdote that didn't fit the picture logan was painting of himsefl right now.

"You didn't mind sailing your father's yacht into the depths of the great ocean though, now did you? If you don't like your background, why flaunt it so much? Even spill it?"

She looked way too pleased with herself, Logan thought. "I can't run away like your mom did. I'm not pregnant," he couldn't help but chuckel at that "So I have no legitimate reason to. I abide my time in the hellhole of the Ancien Riche by using my father's wealth to my advantage. I am in no way, however, like him in character."

Logan's face grew stern "I don't think I am in any way better than anyone because of my financial status. And frankly, my parents would rather have me out of their crowd too. out of their family if they could. They can't wait for my younger brother to come of legal age so they can transfer all my hereditary duties onto him." Logan sighed. Rory had never seen him so worn and emotional. She flet a stinging sensation behind her eyes, she had to renmind herself not to cry, this wasn't the wednesday night true-story feature film for crying out loud! However, it did seem like this was mr. Arrogantbastard McCocky breaking down beside her…

"What can be so bad between you?" Rory said softly. She reached for logan's hand just next to her duvee. he took it without even acknowledging it. Sighing softly as she started to stroke his hadn absent-mindedly.

"My dad doesn't want me to take over his business, luckily it's not my dream either. Still, it isn't nice to know your dad will never think you're good enough for the family biz. I'm sort of the black sheep, but for the outside world they paint me white, because admitting to having a balck sheep in the family is bad enough as it is, they'd rather not. They just ignore me."

"How can they ignore you, you're their son?" rory knew she was asking against better judgement.

Logan laughed softly at her being so oblivious. She was lucky to be loved by all of the peple around her

"You saw my father talk to Doyle? He could've stopped by my dorm to tell me what he told Doyle, 'Call your mother, son. Start actually writing for the paper.' But he didn't. Last time I spoke with him was when I told him I had sunk his yacht, a freak accident by the way, no drinking was involved, but he wouldn't veen let me explain. He'd decided what had happened before i could veen tell him otherwise. He must have read the police report stating that I had nothing to do with it, and still he rather keeps to his own belief: all evil in this world is caused by my son, the spawn of Satan. All I see of my family is my dad's monthly cheques."

"Huh, so he's Satan is he?" Rory tried to lighten the mood. "And things like christmas and such, do you spend them in hell?"

"Nope, at the dorm actually. Last year we spent Christmas together, which didn't turn out well for several reasons. This year my parents are taking my brother to Aspen. I'm not invited.'

"Don't you have anywhere to go?" Rory asked wide eyed with disbelief an sadness, and

Logan saw the pity in her eyes—it stung him to be seen at his weakest. Damnit Logan, why did you spill your beans like that. he knew the answer was that it was because of her eyes, those eyes, that hypnotise you and then make you tell her everything. And her hand, so soft on his, making him feel like a little boy again, back when his mother took care of him when he was sick.

"Well, Finn's going to visit his parents in Australia, Colin's parents are friends of my parents so I can't stay with Colin. I'll just stay here and get some studying done." Logan sighed. Truth be said, he had calculated studying time over christmas, if it weren't for his lonely christmas he'd never get his studying done for the january finals.

"No way, that is not going to happen, I…"

She had a look of decisiveness on her face. But before Rory was able to finish her sentence there were noises at the door.

As they could have guessed, in came Paris, Finn and Colin, preceded by a blinding camera flash.

"Did we catch them in the act?" Rory heard Colin in the hallway.

"Nooo Colin," Logan growled. He then noticed that he and Rory were still holding hands and she released her grip at that same moment. The had been rather close.

"Nothing's going on, and luckily for you three we are both still alive and, well some of us not so well." Rory said in a pedantic voice.

"Get over it Gilmore" Paris grunted "we're here to unlock you, since I couldn't take another minute being in the same room with Doyle, if you're glad to be rid of Huntzberger, go thank Doyle, he'll love that."

"No, I'm going to take a shower, in your batrhoom might I note, since mine was recently used for unpleasant purposes. Make sure everything's back to normal when I get out!" Rory was feeling much better than she had in dyas she noticed, a shower was just what she needed. A shower and some thinking time.

"And you, Smitty," she looked sternly at Logan, who culd only laugh a this comical face, "we weren't done talking. You get better soon and I'll get back to you on…the thing. You were just about to answer but I'll give you some time to come up with a better answer than the lame excuse that was probably headed my way a minute ago."

Colin and Finn just stood there grinning at Logan as he seemed transfixed by Rory as she left the room.

"Come on mate! I think we have some talking to do. About a thing apparently…." Finn laughed as he and Colin hoisted Logan out of bed. "Nice pj's by the way"

"Logan was too weak to fight hem. All he managed to get out of his mouth between coughs and sneezes was: "But what about my bed?"


End file.
